There is a current focus on fabricating graphene using processes that can lead to large-scale production. The techniques can initially be divided into 1) separating graphene from graphite and other carbon compounds or 2) synthesizing graphene using precursor chemicals.
One method of synthesis which has promise for industrial-scale production is chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In CVD, precursor chemicals, such as methane gas, are introduced onto a substrate which acts as a catalytic material, such as copper, in an environment, such as a tube furnace at high temperature, and the resulting reaction produces graphene upon the substrate. The CVD method, while useful, still has a number of drawbacks, including the difficulty of initiating graphene growth.
In view of the above, it would be advantageous to discover new ways of growing graphene.